There are few things worse in this world than waiting for a big sports game or a premiere of something and realizing that your TV has no signal. It is almost always the problem with your television antenna, also known as the TV aerial, and more often than not there is simply no time to fix it then and there without missing a good portion of the thing you were so looking forward to. In a digital age where the internet is responsible for most of the video entertainment we get, regular TV is slowly losing pace and falling off.
However, there are still millions of them in active use and people will rely on them for their news and fun times for decades more. Therefore, you should know when you have a problem with the aerial antenna, what the cause behind it is, and how you can resolve it on your own. The issue often lies somewhere else and is not the aerial’s fault at all. In this article we will lend you a helping hand and tell you all you need to know about such issues.
More importantly, you will learn about the things worth trying if your aerial does not work and you have no time to call the professionals. If you ever do end up needing their help, it may be for the best because you will at least know that your signal will return soon. In case you are in or in the immediate surroundings of Manchester, make sure to check out tvaerialsmanchester.com/ for all of your problems regarding the TV aerial antenna. Now, let us dive deeper into the matter and see what can be done the next time you experience problems of this nature.
1. Check the Aerial Cable
The first thing you should always try to do if you suspect the aerial is to blame for your TV signal issues is to check the aerial cable. The cable that goes from the antenna to the cable is the most common problem, as well as the one people tend to overlook. Somehow, we always assume the worse things and think longer and harder than we should about such problems.
You should always cover the basics first so make sure the cable is connected. It may have fallen out while you were cleaning or if you were moving stuff around. A careless toddler or a pet may be the ones to blame to! No matter what caused it, it is an easy fix.
2. Wrong Source/Input/AV
Right up there with cable connection issues is the source or the input of your television. This is an important function on any remote control no matter the TV, especially if you have multiple sources. This one button allows you to switch between various sources of signal and connections. From casting the screen from your computer or another device to cable and regular TV, you first have to set the right channel through which the TV will get fed with the right signal.
It is easy to miss click and accidentally switch the input to something else and then spend hours checking everything else but the remote. The reason why people forget about this is that the TV usually displays a “no signal” message, making you instantly think there is something wrong with the aerial or the cables. To have the picture again, the one from your aerial, choose TV or DTV option on your menu, or whatever has the symbol or an antenna.
3. Amplifier or Power Supply Problems
Not all TVs have these, but if you do you have to make sure that it is always switched on and running smoothly. The most important thing to pay attention to here is the aerial input and aerial output. They need to be connected the correct way, else you will have no signal on your TV despite everything working properly. Tuning your TV when there was no signal will not work, so after you connect everything and turn it all on, the TV services may lack. Tune everything back up and you will be good to go.
4. Antenna Interference
The antenna itself may be experiencing some interference from the elements or debris. If there are tall trees or other cables around it, you should try to clear the immediate area and allow it more room to breathe and feed you signal. It may be out of place and bent over, which would mean it is not pointed where it needs to be and therefore not giving you a strong enough signal. From time to time, it is important to check the roof for any damage that could lead to the antenna being damaged.
Not all households need to do this, but the more trees there are and the lower your roof the more maintenance you should do. If you live in an area with frequent bad weather, you are probably used to bad signal from time to time. Think about an amplifier or a stronger antenna in that case. Moving the antenna from the roof to the ground or a post is often a great solution too, depending on the case.
5. Faulty Downlead
The cable that goes from the antenna and into your TV, which is usually a direct link, is called aerial downlead. An amplifier, a splitter, or a wall plate may exist between the two, but it is usually a direct cable. Since it is an important thing in the whole system, and one that is exposed and running through different walls, rooms, and around corners, many things can go wrong.
Physical damage waterlogging, and high current can all damage it, resulting in no picture on your television screen. Physical damage can result from improper installations or handling, as well as bad weather or accidental damage on the property.
To fix the problem, you should locate the damaged bit of the cable and replace it with a brand new section. You may need to go to the roof so if you are not comfortable with heights, it would be best to call in some professional help. If the cables are old, replacing them entirely could prevent similar damage.